If you have followed my write-ups over the past few years, you may have come across an article about seasonal changes with shoe gear and how that impacts some pain issues of our feet and toes. The change from open toed shoes to winter gear or boots can remind some people that their toes rub the inside of their shoes which causes pain, blisters or calluses. Sometimes these issues are caused by toes that bend or contract. Lots of people refer to their bent toes as ‘hammer toes’. Some folks have to deal with this every year.
Maybe it is time to seek a corrective treatment for those painful hammer toes. There are several procedures that can help fix these painful toes. Choosing the correct procedure depends on the history of the patient, the reasons for the toe pain, the severity of any arthritis, and functional goals of any surgical correction.
For instance, sometimes a person might only have a small bony bump on their toe that needs to be shaved down. Other folks might have rigid toe deformities that require removal of a small piece of bone. While others might have a toe that is really long and needs to be shortened to alleviate pressure or prevent curling of the toe while wearing shoes. Some folks even have toes that cross over other toes. Using a good history and physical exam along with x-ray images, a surgical plan can be formulated to meet the needs of most patients. And fortunately with most hammer toe surgeries, recovery is only two to three weeks and you can usually walk right away.
Whichever scenario exists, everyone should know that there are options to correct toe position and deformity to help chronic toe pain issues. Call Sohl Foot & Ankle at 267-699-3839 to get your crooked toes assessed.